Combination hydraulic-jet and water-lubricating air-lift.



1 LJFSROL4v COMBINATION HYDRAULIC JET AND WATER LBRIGATINGAIB LIFT. Y

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1911. 1,012,224. Patented 11911.19, 1911.

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A. E. ROEL.. LGOMBIMTION ,HYDRAULIC JET AND WATBRLUBRICATING AIRl LIFT.

`APPLICATIONFILED AUG.'21,19111. L v 1,012,224. l vPmnemsd,Dec.19,1911.

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' practice, by

- UNITED sTATEs lPATENT OFFICE.

ALrmat'rs E. non, OF` OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, AssIGNoR To ASSOCIATED OIL COMPANY,

-oF -sAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, l1911.

Application med August 21, 1911. serial No, 645,288.

To all whom it may Conm:

Be it known that I, ALPBFUs E. ROE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the County of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new andiuseful Improvements in Combina-- tion Hydraulic-Jet and Water-Lubricating Air-Lifts, of which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to apparatus for lifting oil from wells, and it consists in an apparatus which from its several functions may properly be termed a combination hy drauhc-jet and water-lubricating air-lift, in that it combines three essential features, found to be most useful in pumping oil wells with compressed air.l First and most simple is the :straight lift, successful where the liquid is an emulsion of oil and water. Second, the use of the hydraulic jet in combinationwith the straight air lift in wells where the lower casing is filled with sand or fine gravel, packed hard, which cannot be out with the straight air lift. 25

Third,-, inwe]ls which carry large quantities of .fine sand or silt and little or no Water. l have found that when a very small amount of'water introduced with the air is sprayed or dashed against the -inner lsurface of the and discharge pipe, the friction .of

tubing theviscous oil is much relieved and the air pistons formed in the discharge tubing will carry the mixture to the surface and discharge it in a very satisfactory quantity and `with very good economy in the use of compressed air.

Heretofore, Athe several practical conditions have been lmet and worked upon separately. To explain; it hasl been found that crude heavy oil cannot be successfully lifted thro h the tubing of a deep oil well without a ding water. This has been. done, in

to its greater specific avity, will pass down through the oil to the bottom of the casing-f nd be lifted out by the'compressed air. just .the rper amount. of water is thus introduced 1nto the well, some Oil will Vbe emulsified and carried out with it. If the amountof water is toogreat, the'oil will b e floated above the'intake of the lift, and practically no' oil 4will be discharged with the water. It has been found, in practice, very'diilicult'to operate this plan successwater into the welll casmg from the'surface, which water, due

` fully, for in some wells, the amount of oil in the casing is much deeper, varying from 'a few feet to several hundred feet. Again, 1n cases where sand is firmly packed in t-he lower casing of the well, Water-jetting this sand by introducing an additional pipe down to the surface of the sand, past the air lift, has been done and successful work accomplished. This, however, in practice, is not always possible for the reason that the air lift practically fills the well casing and the work of guiding even a small pipe by or past it in the well casing is difficult and dangerous for if it should jam and be broker., it may become a matter'of great expense to clear-the Well again.

-By introducing water with the air, as provided for in my apparatus, the quantity can be controlled perfectly, and since it vis introduced-or dashed evenly around the inner-surface ofthe discharge tubing, it does' not emulsify with the oil but is held in a thin film by capillary attraction to the inner surface of the tubing and the oil slips over the wetted surface as the whole is lifted through the tubing by the air. It is foundl in practice, that al comparatively small quantity of water thus introduced is required and that the quantity of oilwhich can be discharged through a given size of well tubing is much greater than can be pumped in the usual manner. The fine sand or silt is carried up with the oil and the well will continue to operate with no attendance, until the air pressure is shut off.

In my apparatus, as will hereinafter appear, the hydraulic pipe and jet serves both asa powerful hydraulic agitating agent to loosen the sand in the lower casing and car- -ry it to the discharge tubing, and also also the spirally shaped hydraulic jet noz- Zlc. Fig. ..3 is an outline side view of .the

shell as the casting would appear without pipe connections, it being intended to make this shell or casting of phosphor` bronze or some equally ood composition. Fig. 4 is a plan looking 1nto the well casing, the discharge pipe, air and water pipe, with an outline of t-he shell and the spirally attached hydraulic nozzle shown partly in dotted and partly in full lines where the 1Q same projects outward beyond the shell. Figs. 5 and 6 are details of the sleeve 13 through which the air and water pass as hereafter described.

1 is the well casing. 15. 2 is a section of the discharge pipe which, as shown, is screwed into the collar 3 at the top of the shell casting.

4 is a section of the suction pipe and is shown as screwed into the lower end of the shell. 5 is a section of air pipe also screwed in at thetop end of the shell above the air chamber 6.

7 is a section of thewater pipewhich, as shown, is screwed into the top of hydraulic plunger 8.

9 is the hydraulic nozzle screwed in position to thebottom end of the hydraulic chamber 10 of the shell.

11 indicates the four slots through which 50 the water passes from the hydraulic plunger 8 into the Ahydraulic chamber 10 and out through the hydraulic nozzle 9, into the well casing 1, below the ower end of the suction pipe 4 of the lift.V Y

1'2 indicates milled apertures through the sleeve 18, as shown in detail in Figs. 5 and 6, through which water passes to lubricate the inner surface of discharge pipe 2.

14 represents air holes in the sleeve 13 through which air passesfrom air chamber 6 to discharge pipe 2. As'will be seen, the air chamber 6 extends entirely around sleeve 13. These air openings are drilled and spaced as shown in Figs. 5 and'6. The

partition 15 which separates the air chamber 6 from hydraulic chamber 10 and through which the hydraulic lined with genuine Babbitt metal to prevent corrosion or deterioration of the surfaces by electroylsis. y i The arrangement of parts is shown in position as they would appear when the lift 1s operating as a straight air lift with hyb5 draulic jetting system 1n operation. In this condition, air would be admitted to 'air chamber 6 through air ipe 5 and pass through openings 12 andp 14 through the sleeve 13 into the discharge pipe 2. At the same time Water would be assmg from water pipe -7 through the hy raulic plunger 8 into the hydraulic `chamber 10 through the slots 11 in the hydraulic plunger and out through the hydraulic nozz lunger 8V passes, is a part of the shell castlng andis e 9 into the well` casing 1 striking the surf-:ce of sand or' materials in the casing, and by the spiral direction, cause these materials to be agitated and be drawn into the suction pipe 4 by the uplifting force of air in the dis charge pipe 2. i

When it is desired to operate the lift as in the case of a. well in which only crude oil is contained and 'without sufficient water, the water pipe 7 which is attached to the hy# draulic plunger 8 is lifted up through the 75 artition 15 so that the top of slots 11y pro jects slightly above the partition and are wholly sea-led by the Babbitt lining in said partit-ion at their lower portion, thus entirely cutting oli the supply of water from entering hydraulic chamber 10. When in this position, the hydraulic plunger 8 will deliver water to the air chamber 6 in whatever 4quantity may be admitted to the water pipe from the surface, this quantity be ing under control by vsuitable valve for the purpose. Under this condition, the openl ings 12 through the bottom of sleeve 13 serve to conduct this water to the inner surface of said sleeve and by the upward tendency of the liquid through the discharge pipe 2, .the water wets the inner surface of the same throughout its length thereby causing theoil to slip easily over the inner surface and to be borne upwardthrough the discharge pipe by the air which enters throu h the openings 14 ofthe sleeve 13 into the dlscharge ipe 2. c

-Suita le provision is, of course, made at the top of the .well for introducing air into the air pipe 5 and water into water pipe 7 separately and under pressure, to more than vbalance the column of liquidvin the 'well casing;also a sluit-able mechanical device is provided to balance the Aweight of water pipe 7 in the position shown and described for these two purposes of its use, namely, 1st, as a hydraulic jetting system, and, 2nd,` to conve water for lubricatin inner surface of ischarge pipe as descri ed.A

When the a parat-us is to be used as a straight air li in the usual. and ordinary manner, the water pipe 7 and hydraulic plun er 8 are lowered so that the collar or -shou der at.16 on the hydraulic plunger is 115 in contact with the upper surface of the partition 15 as shown in Fig. 3 and the supply of water cut olf from the water pipe at the surface. In this condition, the 'lift is properly proportioned and equi ped. vfor handlingl an emulsified liquid of o' and water when conditions in the well warrant its use in'this manner. l l

Thus it will be seen that' the Ilift is adapt- 4 y ed for three. separate and distinct loeriditions of service, all of which may 'be ,met-. -A with in the saine well and, indeed, .are'fref quently demanded. In practice, the lower portion of the well casin are perforated to permit the oil to enter t e casingv andin so entering, particles of' sand are carried through with it and sometimes the inflow of sand is so great as to partially clog; and in cases when the well is inoperative, as when changing pump or air lift for a period of several'hours, the sand will have settled into lpipe for the purpose described. y 2. In an a paratus o the character Ade.`- scribed, invo ving a flow-pipe within thev pose described.

the casing in a hard compact mass which will not be lifted by the straight air lift as usually applied. In such cases with the combination proposed, it will be possible to put the hydraulic jetting system in operation and eliectually clear the well without the necessity of removing the tubing asis often the case in the usual and ordinary practice. L

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is-' 1. In an apparatus ofthe character described, involving a flow-pipe within the" well casing, means for introducing into ow pipe air under pressure, andmeansr introducing to said flow pipe with the water under pressure, said water being reeted upon the internal surface of the well casing, means for introducing into saidv flow pipe air under pressure, and means for separately introducing to said flow pipe simultaneously with the air and in-the vicin.-

ity of the air entrance, water under pressure, said Water being directed upon the internal surface ofthe flow pipe, for the pur- 3.. In an apparatus of the characterdescribed, involving a flow-pipe within the well casing, means for introducing into said flow pipe air under pressure2 and means for- 'separately introducing to said How pipe, si-

`multaneously with the air, water undr pressure, said water being introduced through an annular series of openings through the walls of the flow pipe arranged to deliver the water upon the inner surface of said p'pe lfor the pu ose described.

4. In an a paratus gli) the character described, Ainvo ving a How-pipe within the well casing, meansfor introducing into said ow pipe'through an annular series of openings therein, air under pressure, and means for separately introducing to said flow pipe through an annular seriesof openings therein inthe vicinity of the air openings, wa ter under pressure, said .water being directed upon the mner surface of said pipe for the purpose described.

5. In an apparatus of the character scribed, a shell iitted in the vwell casing, a` discharge pipe connected with the top of the shell and a suction pipe connected with the bottom of the shell, a Vsleeve within the shell alined with the discharge and suction pipes and circumferentially separated from sleeve having an annular series of air openlngs and a separate annular serles of water top of the encircling air chamber of the shell and a water pipe passing through the air pipe and opening into the air chamber.

scribed, a shell fitted -in the well casing, a discharge pipe connected with the top of' the shell and a suction pipe connected with the lined with the discharge and vsuction pipes and circumferentially separated from the shell by an encircling air chamber, said ings anda separateannular series of water openings, below the air openings and made upwardly inclining through the sleeve walls to direct the Water to and upon the inner surface of said sleeve, an air pipe connected Awith the top of the encircling air-chamber f the shell and a water pipe passing through pipe and opening into the air chamr Y v f7.7. an appara-tus of the character'described, a .shel fitted in the well casin a shell' and a suction pipe connected with the bottom ofthe shell; a sleeve within the shell and circumferentially separated from the shell by 'an encircling air chamber, said sleeve .having air openings through its walls; laxwater ipe passing through the air pipe and air c amber and communicating with a water chamber in the shell below and sepationpipes and circumferentially separated from vthe shell by an encircling air-chamwater openings through its walls; an air pipe and air chamber into a water chamber 1n the shell below which said water chamber is separated from the air chamber by a parwa'llsadapted by the vertical movement of .the pipe to be exposed tothe air chamber water chamber below .andvice versa; and a openings, an air pipe connected with the i 6. In an apparat-us of the character'de-v bottom of the shell, a sleeve within the shell sleeve having an annular series of air openscribed, comprising a shell fitted inthe wellthe shell alined With'the discharge and sucthe .shell by an encircling air chamber, said .discharge pipe 'connected with the top o the alined with the discharge and suction pipes v rated from the air chamber, and a Water top of the shell and a suction pipe connected ber, said sleeve having separate lair and pipe connected with the top of the enciri cling air chamber ofthe shell); a ,vertically` l slidable water pipe passing through the airA tition, said water pipe having slots in its above while cut oil' bythepartition from the y i Water nozzle ttedto said water chamber x f and disposed to .direct a jet of water uponl the sand and gravel under the lower end of the suction pipe.

9. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a shell fitted in the well casing; a discharge pipe connected with the top of the. shell and a suction pipe connected with the bottom of the shell; a sleeve within the shell alined with the discharge and suction pipes and circumerent-ially separated from the shell by an encircling air chamber, said sleeve having through its walls an annular series of air openings, and below these an annular series of water openings upwardly inclined to direct' the water upon the inner surface of the sleeve; an air pipe conneeted with the top of the encircling air chamber of the shell; a vertically slidable water pipe passing through the air pipe and air chamberinto a water chamber 1n the tion pipe.

shell below which said water chamber is separated from the air chamber by a partition, said water pipe having slots in its walls adapted by the yvertical movement of the pipe to be exposed to the air chamber above While cut o by the partition from the water chamber below and vice versa; and a water nozzle fitted to said water chamber and disposed to direct a jet of water u on the sand and gravel under the lower en of the suc- In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALPHEUS E. ROE.

WVitnesses: l

N. A. ACKER, D; B. RICHARDS. 

